PHILADELPHIA — A lawyer for a Philadelphia abortion provider on trial for allegedly killing live babies and a female patient called the murder case “an elitist, racist prosecution.”

Defense lawyer Jack McMahon also accused city officials of “a prosecutorial lynching” of his client, who is black.

The fiery McMahon made the remarks in opening statements Monday in the capital murder trial of Dr. Kermit Gosnell. Seven of the 12 jurors are black.

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The 72-year-old Gosnell is charged with running a rogue clinic that ignored the state ban on third-term abortions and 24-hour waiting periods. Officials say he also maimed women and teens by letting his untrained staff perform abortions and give anesthesia. And they say he got rich doing it.

But McMahon says city officials are applying “Mayo Clinic” standards to Gosnell’s inner-city clinic in West Philadelphia.